OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Taking to a remote Western Australian track, from Perth to the Bungle Bungles.
{ AT A GLANCE }
REGION: Australia/Oceania
COUNTRY: Australia
POINT A TO POINT B: Over 2,400 km (1,500 miles)
DOMINANT LANGUAGE: Australian English
DOMINANT RELIGION: Christianity
MODE OF TRANSPORT:
TIME OF YEAR: Between May and August
TRIP SLOGAN: "Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god." (Sir Francis Bacon)
TAKING TO THE UNBEATEN TRACK
POINT A: Perth, the second-most isolated major city in the world behind Auckland, New Zealand. The nearest city with a population of
over a million is Adelaide, over 2,000 km (1,200 miles) away. Kununurra, thousands of kilometers to the north, is POINT B. Perth and its surrounding attractions will serve as the launching pad for your western Australian journey. Enjoy the variety of cuisine, experience the nightlife, hit some of the popular beaches, and check out the sunset's reflection on the burgeoning cityscape from King's Park. You may only have time to scratch the surface of this area's adventure potential by doing some kayaking, kitesurfing, rock climbing, abseiling, or any of the plethora of other outdoor activities offered here. Next it is time to put a final "prawn on the barbie" before leaving this urban paradise to enter one of the most untouched ranges of wilderness left in the world. So, let's take to the unbeaten track.
{ A GEM TO THE SOUTH }
Yallingup Beach, about four hours to the southwest of Perth, is one
of the most attractive spots for surfing, and can be reached by bus
for only $35 from Perth. Check out Transwa for more bus info. But even if it is waves you're after, there will be no shortage of
spectacular beaches to come as you move further north along the west
coast...
THE FIRST LEG
While there are a number of experienced groups offering outstanding
minivan tours of Western Australia, another option is renting an RV or
"caravan," and then journeying at your own pace. Not far from Perth are
Yanchep and Nambung National Parks, where, aside from off-roading and
sand surfing the white dunes and sighting emus and kangaroos, you can
check out an expansive field of limestone spires known as the
Pinnacles. If wandering through giant stalagmites half-buried in
dunes isn't enough of an extra-planetary experience for you, just be
patient: the course on bizarre landscapes has just begun.
{ WHAT OF THE WHALESHARK? }
Whalesharks arrive in this area just after the second coral spawning
until early July, while residents put on the Whaleshark Festival every
year in May.
Pressing north, you reach Monkey Mia, where one may swim with the dolphins
that routinely visit the shallow water only a few meters from the
shore. Your next destination is Exmouth, which will serve as a base
in exploring the Northwest Cape. After a day on the lonely pristine
beaches and a visit to the century-old Vlamingh Head Lighthouse (for a
spectacular 360-degree view of the Ningaloo Reef), you can spot hundreds of
kangaroos on a sunset drive across the penninsula. And being so close
Coral Bay, the visit would not be complete without a marine safari,
including a swim with giant whalesharks.
PINNACLES
LONELY COASTLINE
THE SOLITARY ROAD
Next you press inland for a change, to the oasis that is Karijini
National Park, where you hike through gorges, waterfalls, and bush to
dive into the crystal-clear water of the hidden Fern Pool. As you
return to the coastline, claim any stretch of the hundreds of miles of
virgin beaches until reaching Broome. The population of this pearling
town actually doubles in the high tourist season, but unless you enjoy
erratic tropical downpours, temperatures of 35° C, and waters seething
with jellyfish, don't try to avoid this surge by visiting in the
off-season. After all, you are in northwestern Australia: there is
plenty wide open space to go around here.
Heading inland once again, you reach Windjana Gorge. Here, after a
good hike, anyone who dares can enjoy a swim with the freshwater
crocodiles. As you carry on the Gibb River road--over hundreds of
miles of unspoiled land--stop at any of the impressive gorges of the
Kimberly: Manning, Adcock, Barnett, Galvans, or Emma (the Emma is
particularly striking).
{ JOURNEY CHECKLIST }
+ a killer camera
+ A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia, by Peter Monkhorst and Frank Knight
+ sturdy hiking shoes
+ swimming suit
+ a good wide-brimmed hat
+ a pocket-sized travel journal
+ lots of sunscreen
+ the "7 Must-Haves for Hygiene"
THE BUNGLE BUNGLES Pressing further, you come to perhaps the most stunningly strange
landscape of the journey: known to the Aboriginals as "Purnulu," the
Bungle Bungles are so far from the nearest city that they have largely
remained off the radar (and therefore well off the beaten path) for
travelers. These giant beehive-shaped formations were formed by
millions of years of wind blowing from the Tanami Desert as well as
rainfall that shaped the domes. Geologists believe that they are the
eroded remnants of a very ancient meteorite impact crater. Explore
the nooks, caverns, and cliffs to your heart's content, but be careful
not to lose your way--getting lost is extremely easy to do here. If
your pockets are on the deeper end, take a helicopter flight for an
aerial view of the seven-kilometer-diameter park.
KUNUNURRA
After a quick jaunt in Hidden Valley, you can make your way to
Kununurra, the largest city in the Western Australia's largest city
north of Broome, before continuing to Darwin. This small fishing city
is home to a large number of saltwater crocs that share the waterways,
as well as the public beaches at times. It is also Point B, the end
of your Western Australian journey.
This stretch of Australia is one of the most spectacular and untouched
in the world. Throughout your travels, be sure to do your part to
help keep it that way: pristine, wild, stunning, and bizarre.
{ GETTING TO POINT A } By plane: Check for flights to Perth, where most Western Australia journeys will begin or end. From the States, Qantas Airways has a flight for $1,195 round-trip to Perth from L.A.
{ WHAT NEXT } If you haven't had enough of the Outback, journey south from Darwin towards Alice Springs. If, on the other hand, you're ready to move on, Darwin is a convenient springboard into southeast Asia...
